Executive Profiles

Jerry Neff

Title:

Brigadier General (Retired) Vice chairman, board of trustees of Blake Medical Center Chair of the Manatee Rural Health Clinic Foundation President of the Military Officers Association of America, Bradenton Chapter

Education:

Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies, Excelsior College

Jerry Neff (ARNGUS, Ret.), enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard in May 1960, at the age of 18. Soon after, he also set off on a banking career. Over the next years, he became highly successful, both as a guardsman and as a banker.

At the time of his retirement from the Guard in June 1999, Neff was the Deputy Commanding General, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, Orlando, Florida. His decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), and the Army Achievement Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster). A member of the Florida National Guard Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame, he was twice awarded the Florida Cross (1997 and 1999), the highest award given to a member of the Florida Army National Guard for outstanding service to the citizens of the State of Florida.

A banker for 48 years, he served as chairman of M&I Bank, West Coast Florida Region. He was named the Florida Bankers Association Banker of the Year in 2004. In addition to his banking and military career experiences, he has been a board member of the South Florida Museum as well as the United Way and the Economic Development Council of Manatee County, and chair of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce.

He served as the vice chairman of the board of trustees of Blake Medical Center; as chair of the Manatee Rural Health Clinic Foundation; and as president of the Military Officers Association of America, Bradenton Chapter. He also chaired Excelsior College's 40th Anniversary Committee.

His education included the Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College. In 1987, he graduated from Excelsior (then Regents) College with a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies. He also graduated from the National Commercial Lending Graduate School.